Telephone toll collecting apparatus



April 16, 1935. G. A. LONG TELEPHONE TOLL COLLECTING APPARATUS Filed Oct. 16, 1933 Patented Apr. 16, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE TELEPHONE TOLL COLLECTING APPARATUS Application October 16, 1933, Serial No. 693,787

12 Claims.

My invention relates to apparatus used in connection with telephpn e instruments for informing a distant operative that the required toll for the use of the instrument has been deposited,

and an object of my invention, among others, is the production of a device for the purposes here-, in stated and which may not be manipulated to convey false impressions to the distant opera tive as to the payment of the tolls.

One form of a telephone toll collecting apparatus embodying my invention, and in the con struction and use of which, the object herein set out, as well as others, may be attained is illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which- Figure l is a front view of one type of telephone apparatus embodying my invention.

Figure 2 is a similar view of another type of such apparatus embodying my invention.

Figure 3 is a side view applicable to either of the structures shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

Figure 4 is a view of the interior of the case showing the; application of my improved device to a telephone of the type shown in Fig. 1.

Figure 5 is a similar view showing the applicationof my improved device to a telephone of the type shown in Fig. 2.

Figure 6 is a view in cross section on a plane denoted by the dotted line 66 of Fig. 4.

. In the accompanying drawing the numeral 1 denotes the case of members comprising a set of telephone instrument containing meansfor receiving coins and for denoting that such coins have been deposited for the use of the instrument, such case being secured to a backboard 8, in the particular forms of the apparatus shown herein, and the case containing a coin drawer 9, a coin return opening I 0, and a coin plate ll into which coins are inserted. After insertion into the openings in the coin plate the coins are directed by suitable means in common use to a channel board l2 constructed in a manner, except as herein specified, common to apparatus of this class and as more particularly described in my patent dated July 10, 1934, No. 1,966,413 and to which reference is hereby made for a more detailedjshowing of such board, the coins traveling alongpassages in the channel board to the lower enditliereof where they are delivered into a hopper l3 for such disposition as the operative at a distant station may determine. The chanshown in my aforesaid patent. The coins in their travel along the passages in the channel board strike against audible signals which may be.in the form of a bell l4 and a gong I5.

The type of instrument illustrated in Figs. 1 and 4 embodies a monophone I B'comprising a receiver and a transmitter which may be supported upon a hook l1, while in the type of instrument shown in Figs. 2 and 5 a transmitter l8 and ,a receiver 19 are employed, the latter being sup- 10 ported upon a hook 20. All of the parts thus far described are of old and well-known construction and are embodied in telephone toll collecting apparatus in common use at the present time, and for this reason afurther and detailed 15 description is omitted herein, as the operation will be readily understood by those skilled in the art.

In apparatus of this type it is common practice by unscrupulous users of telephone instruments 0 to fraudulently create sounds of the audible signals which are transmitted to the operative at a distant station, thereby giving the impression to such operative that a coin or coins for use of the apparatus has been deposited, although no such 25' deposit has been made. This deceptive act has been accomplished by sharp blows upon the case of the instrument, the vibrations of thecase created by such blows being transmitted to the audible signals secured to the case and these deceptive 30' signals, owing to the somewhat indistinct transmission of the, sounds and the distraction of the attention of the operative in connection with other calls, are not readily detected by such operative. 35

By the use of my improved structure herein illustrated and described the conveyance of such deceptive signals is prevented, such structure embodying a support for the signalling devices which support is subject to little if any vibration. In a 40 device which I have found to accomplish extremea ly satisfactory results I mount the gong l5 and bell I4, or other audible signals, upon the channel board It, which channel board is composed of lead or other material which is subject to little 45 vibration and therefore will not convey to the signalling devices vibrations which may be caused-by blows upon the case. In a preferred form of construction I employ a'supporting plate 2| which is attached to the channel board I2 in any suitable 5O manner, said plate being provided with flanges 22 to which the bell l4 and gong l5 are secured.

In that type of telephone instrument in which the transmitter is mounted upon the front of the case the sounds of the signals will be conveyed by such transmitterto the operative controlling the use of the device. In connection with the type of instrument embodying the monophone, however, other means must be provided for transmitting the sounds of the signals, and to effect this result I employ a transmitter 23 of any ordinary type which is attached to the supporting plate 2| whereby vibrations of the bell and gong are transmitted for information of the operative located at a distant point.

In telephones heretofore constructed the reverberations of the signals is such as to overlap the time when conversation may begin so that such conversation is interfered with, and means have therefore been provided for reducing such reverberations by dampening the sounds. By the use of my improved device herein disclosed this objectionable reverberation is eliminated, the mounting of the signalling devices upon non-resonant material serving as a dampener for such sounds.

My improved device is so constructed that apparatus now in common use may be readily equipped therewith without a material change therein, all that is required being to remove the signals from the walls of the case and attach them to the supporting plate, the latter being readily attached to the channel board or coin chute I2.

I claim:

1. The combination in a telephone pay station including a case, a receiver and a coin chute supported by and within said case, of audible signals supported upon said chute in non-resonant connection with said case, and a transmitter positioned to convey sounds created by said signals.

2. The combination in a telephone pay station including a case, a receiver and a coin chute of non-resonant material located within said case, of audible signals supported upon said chute, and a transmitter positioned to convey sounds created by said signals.

3. The combination in a telephone pay station including a case, a receiver and a coin chute supported by and within said case, said chute being composed of non-resonant metal, of audible signals supported upon said chute and in non-resonant connection with said case, and a transmitter positioned to convey' sounds created by said signals.

4. The combination in a telephone pay station including a case, a receiver and a coin chute supported by said case, of a supporting plate'attached to said coin chute, and in non-resonant connection with said case, and a transmitter positioned to convey sounds created by said signals.

5. The combination in a telephone pay station including a case, a receiver, and a coin chute of non-resonant material within said case, of a supporting plate attached to said chute, a set of audible signals mounted on said supporting plate, and a transmitter positioned to convey sounds created by said signals.

6. The combination in a telephone pay station including a case, a receiver, and a coin chute of non-resonant metal located within said case, of a supporting plate attached to said chute, a set of audible signals mounted on said supporting plate, and a transmitter positioned to convey sounds created by said signals.

7. The combination in a telephone pay station including a case, a .receiver, a coin chute supported by and within said case and a voice transmitter, of audible signals supported upon said chute in non-resonant connection with said case, and a transmitter positioned to convey sounds created by said signals.

8. The combination in a telephone pay station including a case, a receiver, a coin chute of nonresonant material located within the case, and a voice transmitter, of audible signals supported upon said chute, and a transmitter positioned to convey sounds created by said signals.

9. The combination in a telephone pay station including a case, a receiver, a coin chute supported by and within said case, and a voice transmitter, said chute being composed of non-resonant metal, of audible signals supported upon said chute and in non-resonant connection with said case, and a transmitter positioned to convey sounds created by said signals.

10. The combination in a telephone pay station including a case, a receiver, a coin chute and a voice transmitter, of a supporting plate attached to said coin chute and in non-resonant connection with said case, and a transmitter positioned to convey sounds created by said signals said chute being supported by said case.

11. The combination in a telephone pay station including a case, a receiver, a coin chute of nonresonant material within said case, and a voice transmitter, of a supporting plate attached to said chute, a set of audible signals mounted on said supporting plate, and a transmitter positioned to convey sounds created by said signals.

12. The combination in a telephone pay station including a case, a receiver, a coin chute of nonresonant metal located within said case, and a voice transmitter, of a supporting plate attached to said chute, a set of audible signals mounted on said supporting plate, and a transmitter positioned to convey sounds created by said signals.

GEORGE A. LONG. 

